The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has warned that there is inadequate evidence to prove that social media is safe for children and teenagers. He has urged tech firms, parents, and caregivers to take immediate steps to protect youngsters. As the use of social media is almost universal among young people, Murthy is calling on companies to share data with researchers and the public, enhance transparency, and prioritize user health and safety when designing their products. The surgeon general points out that tech firms have taken some measures to make their platforms healthier and safer, but more action is necessary.
Although social media companies already prohibit children under 13 from creating accounts to comply with federal regulations, many minors manage to bypass these restrictions, often without their parents’ knowledge or consent. Despite taking measures to address concerns about young people’s mental health, such as TikTok’s introduction of a 60-minute default time limit for users under 18, these measures are easily circumvented. Once minors reach the time limit, they can enter a passcode to continue using the platform.
The social media companies are not oblivious to the negative effects of their platforms. Meta, for instance, conducted a study a few years ago to assess the impact of Instagram on teens’ mental health. The company found that the visually-oriented app’s peer pressure resulted in teenagers, especially girls, experiencing mental health issues, body image concerns, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts. According to an internal study, 13.5 percent of teen girls reported that Instagram aggravates thoughts of suicide, while 17 percent said that it exacerbates their struggles with eating disorders.
The harmful effects of Instagram on teens’ mental health were exposed in 2021 by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Meta, previously known as Facebook, was found to have conducted the research, but attempted to downplay the severity of the outcomes at the time. The company did, however, put a pause on the development of a kids’ version of Instagram, which was intended for tweens aged 10 to 12. Although Meta argued that the product was created with children’s safety in mind, critics and child safety advocates expressed concerns about its potential impact on young users’ mental health.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, has underscored that there is insufficient evidence to affirm social media’s safety for children. During his travels around the country, Murthy has been conversing with young people and parents about the youth mental health crisis, and he said he receives frequent inquiries from parents on social media’s safety for their children. In a report published on Tuesday, he called for policymakers to regulate social media’s impact on children, similar to how they regulate products such as car seats, baby formula, and medication used by children. The Surgeon General reiterated that parents, along with children, can’t manage social media’s rapid evolvement and its fundamental influence on their children’s friendships, self-esteem, and perception of the world. Nonetheless, Murthy emphasized the existing evidence emphasizes social media’s potential “profound risk of harm” on children and teenagers’ mental health and well-being.
Children’s brain development is a critical factor that impacts their susceptibility to the harmful effects of social media, says Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General. During this stage, their brain pathways, social relationships, self-esteem, and identity are still under development, making them particularly susceptible to social cues, pressure, and comparison, all of which are abundant on social media. According to one study cited by the Surgeon General’s report, frequent social media use could lead to “distinct changes” in a developing brain that could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments.
Moreover, “disturbing mental health statistics” indicate that young people’s depression, anxiety, suicide rates, and loneliness is increasing as a result of social media’s negative effects. Nevertheless, the Surgeon General’s report highlights that social media has some benefits, such as creating spaces for self-expression and cultivating communities, such as the LGBTQ+ youth. Instead, the report calls for families and caregivers to draw boundaries around social media use in children’s lives to protect their overall wellbeing. Dr. Murthy plans to postpone his own children’s social media use until middle school, and he hopes to connect with other parents and families to make the transition easier.